https://www.bestkiteboarding.com/en-us/feed/
Tue, 22 Jan 2019 01:16:06 +0000Zend_Feedhttp://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rsshttps://www.bestkiteboarding.com/en-us/feed/bestmoments2018-03-winners/
Many thanks to all the Best riders participating in our Best Moments competition to win the new TS V7, the board bag or the harness. Somehow all of you have been winners last month though as a lot of fellows were seeing your picture and sharing your stoke. We feel blessed to witness the strong community around Best Kiteboarding. We also enjoyed very much to see all you guys riding so strong, having so much fun with the sport we all love most. Your participation means a lot to us.

Eventually we had to take a decision on the winners of our three valuable prices and so we did. Therefor we were looking at the following criteria:

– Post features tags @bestkiteboarding plus the profile of your kite buddy as well as the campaign's hashtag #ridebest2018
– Best product visible
– Remarkable perspective, setting or trick
– No crash, no crap, no missed grab
– No professional photo shoot results

There have been plenty of posts matching our criteria. We found some candidates who were especially deserving our attention and hence took P1–3. Our second place is a shared one though because we didn't know who in the picture/video would deserve the prize more than the other. So these two guys will now spend their life together sharing one board bag forever.

Take a look at the winners now, give them a like and follow their profiles if you feel like.

1st Prize

Your picture shows not only all the necessary tags and pieces but also features un unusual perspective, shows the landscape in frame and one marvellous grab on top. It also features interesting backlight turning you and your trick into one artsy silhouette while enlightening your TS kite to put our Best fish on stage as nicely as it gets. Although the resolution isn't the greatest it's the theme that makes the picture. We're proud to have you riding with us!

Congrats, Alex! This 10 m TS with a value of $/€949.– is all yours now!

Winners will be contacted via Instagram message.

We thank all of the participants for their over 200 posts to the contest. We are so stoked and we know that many of you would have deserved to be one of the winners. That's why we would like to showcase some of the other great pictures below and some of them could have been the winners but didn't fully feature all the necessary tags to win. However, we hope you also don't mind if yours isn't featured here as we could go on and on. If you would like to see all of the pictures of the competition just check #ridebest on your Instagram.

Many thanks to all the Best riders throwing their hat in the ring until today. We are so impressed by the quality and variety of posts you were entering. There's no bigger passion than a Best rider's stoke, that's for sure. Enjoy the examples below – thank you for riding with us!

Many more posts and images rightfully could have been featured here and we're not done yet. Don't wait any longer and check #ridebest2018 on Instagram for more. Winners won't be selected before the end of the competition the last day of June. So keep posting and ride with us!

We received so much positive feedback about our new 2018 TS V.7 kite that it's time to give back.

This is your chance to win some free shopping on bestkiteboarding.com. We prepared three free shopping vouchers to be thrown into this competition now.

How to win…

1. Share a great picture of you and your favorite Best kite on Instagram
2. Tag the @friend you like to ride with
3. Tag @bestkiteboarding
4. Use hashtag #ridebest2018

Share your Best moment with any Best kite and tag and tick the four points listed. Throw your hat in the ring for these free shopping voucher promo codes. The competition will be running for one month until end of June 2018. We will pick the three winners internally only by looking for the best action or emotion with the sweetest Best branding and the most positive likes and feedback. Employees and their relatives won't be allowed to participate in the Instagram competition. However, read below what could be yours very soon if'd you win.

This is a prize worth fighting for: Our legendary High-Performance kite TS… for you, for free! 2018 the TS got even better with Version 7 and now features the original Boston valve, full Neoprene padding on strut valve connectors and a reshaped trailing edge.

This original Best Kite Twintip Travel Bag with wheels is one Swiss army knife of a board bag: Coming with a large accessories pocket, the entire piece is padded with 8mm foam and it's rockin' and rollin'
on heavy duty wheels. Dimensions: 140 x 45 x 25 cm. Value: $/€119.

The original Best Kite Twintip Travel Bag with wheels, value: $/€119.–

It's usually not for free but for freeride and freestyle. Back support system, 3D molded EVA with foam liner, 3D Soft neoprene trim, water resistant outer shell, reliable pin release spreader bar and more. Choose your personal size in the webshop for your ultimate freeride sessions scoring a $/€109 value.

The Best Free Harness with pin release spreader bar. Value $/€109.–

Share your love with Best and win a free TS kite and more! Show us what your sessions on Best mean to you and win Best gear worth over $/€1,300. Just post your pic, tag a friend and always make sure to be subscribed to our newsletter.

It's obvious that the new TS V.7 will be another Best stunner at the beach. Fresh and popping colors turn your kite session into an even greater fun, and turn heads at every beach. The new TS design connects the heritage of our bestseller with latest kitesurf technology by Best Kiteboarding.

Experienced TS riders will feel well at home right from the first launch of this new high-performance kite. The Best TS remains the renown mid-to-high aspect ratio kite everybody loves for its quick turning and immediate reactiveness. No matter if you're going for a big jump or nothing but upwind, this kite is pure pleasure to ride. The TS is lively and versatile for endless fun in every freeride session. At the same time it is offering great pop for advanced freestyle tricks and supports you in landing new tricks with ease. Tangible line slack enables you to properly finish moves from the book. Trimming options allow for tuning your TS exactly the way you like by making the kite turn faster or offer more bar pressure.

The most significant changes to the TS are in the detail. Again Best R&D optimised the trailing edge construction in order to provide even more stability, great balance in each kite size and excellent durability to level expectations to the allrounder's reactiveness with great longevity.

Updates on the trailing edge: The TS V.7 offers both improved performance and durability.

More importantly the R&D team also focused on the inflation system. While already a great benefit in 2017's TS V.6 the Twist Lock valve 2.0 received another important update now in V.7. Since Twist Lock Valve 2.0 you can attache the hose of your kite pump directly to the valve. No nozzle, no hassle. The end of the hose docks and locks directly with one so-called bayonet connector. On the new TS V.7 this very connection piece is now the original Boston valve part. So Best Kiteboarding is making another statement for integrating proven technology to the benefit of the customer instead of trying to reinvent the wheel for no reason. The new docking piece makes the hose sit tight and solid during inflation in order to reliably ensure perfect air-flow for a fast and easy inflation.

Fully padded and protected: The new EZ Pump® inflation system.

The new Twist Lock valve: Featuring the original Boston valve.

No nozzle, no hassle: The pump's hose connects directly to the valve.

Looking closer at Best's single inflation EZ Pump® system you will realise that all the strut valve connectors have been fully padded with tailor-made Neoprene sleeves surrounded by protection zones on the canopy in order to prevent abrasion or any other type of wear and tear to the cloth. This way the new TS is ready to last for more flying hours than ever before and can withstand the forces of mother nature even under roughest conditions.

Starting with the TS V.7 Best Kiteboarding also introduces one complete new pricing model. From now on regular in-season list prices will be revolutionarily low and easy. Both TS and Roca (Version 3 coming soon!) will cost the same price per size. You can buy a TS 12 m kite at only $/€ 999,– and add a bar for just $/€ 99,– including shipping cost.

Insane package offer! Add a bar to your kite for$/€ 99,–

There will be further add-on options with boards or accessories for you throughout the year.

The new TS V.7 is available now in key sizes 9, 10 and 12 m, with further sizes being added every week. Eventually the TS V.7 will be available in sizes 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14 and 16 m. Sizes 14 and 16 m for lightest wind conditions even include free 3 m line-extensions to unlock their full potential at an unbeatable price.

Go check out the new Best TS V.7 and place your order before we run short on single sizes.

The new Freestyle/Wave Crossover High-Performance kite TS V.7

There will be even more than the new TS: The new Roca V.3, new twintips and new surfboards. So stay tuned and follow the news. We will inform you via email newsletter (Sign up here!), social media and on this website as soon as all the new goods become available.

Best Kiteboarding is ready to exceed your expectation one more time again to make your day on the water like never before. Fresh styles and colors, new features and improved performance at the most compelling price point is what you can look forward to.

Current gear by Best Kiteboarding represents the pinnacle of kitesurf technology. Highest performance and quality in kite engineering and manufacturing. For 2018 we decided to utilize these achievements and take them to the next level for an even better result. So let's look at the most amazing kites we've ever made accompanying the most exciting price revolution in the market!

Why price revolution? Answer: We found kite prices aren't only too high but also much too complicated today. That's why Best Kiteboarding will become the only brand where you choose your kite by style but always pay the same price for every model. How much? Well, you get a high quality, high performance 12 meter kite for only 999 Dollars. And you can add a high quality bar with Iron Heart IV quick release for only 99 Dollars flat fee.

Isn't that the most amazing pricing ever?! Choose your style:

This is hands down the biggest game changer in kitesurf equipment distribution since Best Kiteboarding first entered the market in 2003. Check out some of the new bits and pieces you can expect to become available soon… Ride with us!

The all new Freeride/Freestyle wonder Roca in its 3rd version

The best weapon for constant fun and progress is still Best's 3-strut freeride-monster "Roca". Coming in its third version now the Roca had been revised from top to toe in order to improve performance and push your kite experience to the limit. Worth noticing would be especially the new Dacron frame to drastically reducing weight as well as an overall increase in stability to its wing's geometry.

This way the Roca not only becomes lighter and more agile but also offers a more predictable and reactive behaviour while still remaining the pulling freeride and jumping machine everybody loves. No question, the Roca V.3 is by far the most exciting ever made to let you conquer the elements.

The new Roca V.3 is coming in sizes 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14 and 17 meters. Prices are real crackers allowing you to buy a Roca 12 m kite at only $ 999.– and add a bar for only $ 99.– extra! There will be more bundle offers complete with board for example to serve you with the most attractive packages in the market in summer. No other kite is offering such fun and quality at a lower price. This new Roca is just the obvious kite of choice for every true waterman.

The new Freestyle/Wave Crossover High-Performance kite TS V.7

Our well known center piece though is still one of the leading kites in the market: The Best TS. Now coming in its version no. 7 this monster of a Freestyle/Freeride/Wave Crossover High-Performance kite is exactly what experienced riders need for pushing their riding to the next level.

The new TS V.7 is coming in sizes 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14 and 16 meters. Same revolutionary prices here: You can buy a TS 12 m kite at only $ 999.– and add a bar for just $ 99.– including shipping cost.

On top there will also be other offers on brand new TS kite bundles e.g. complete with bar and board you definitely wouldn't want to miss out. Bottom line, there will be no other kite in the market providing you with such performance and quality while being priced so competitively.

Insane package offer! Add a bar to your kite for$ 99.–

So get ready to improve your riding and enhance your kitesurf experience with latest kitesurf technology by Best.

Of course there's more than kites. Best riders receive there next dose of twintip power to complete their quiver with just the right tool for freestyle, freeride or wave riders. As always core piece of the range remains the unbeatable Best Armada which already comes in its eighth version, challenged by a brand new Spin V.3. and more.

There will be even more though. Not only twintips but also surfboards and plenty of tangible improvements on the kites, all worth talking about in detail. So stay tuned and follow the news. We will inform you via email newsletter, social media and on this website as soon as all the new goods become available.

All information in this article supplied without liability; products and prices subject to change.

You know our incredible pricing with up to 45 % discount on special offers? Well, now you get another 25 % discount on top. Remember this is an exceptional Black Friday occasion! It's gonna be over after Cyber Monday next week. And you will only get the additional 25 % Black Friday discount on your Best kite order if you enter our promo code "BLACK FRIDAY" when you check out! So be quick as hell to grab one of our insane offers on our dedicated Black Friday page. You won't believe your eyes when realizing that quality kites don't have to cost a fortune, especially not on a Black Friday weekend.

Don't miss out – you won't see any better offer any time soon, that's for sure. Ride with us!

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Thu, 21 Sep 2017 13:14:20 +0000https://www.bestkiteboarding.com/en-us/feed/red-bar-depower-exchange/
Best Red Bars of a certain batch may suffer from insufficient line splicing which in single cases can substantially affect the depower ability of your kite. This is safety-relevant so if your bar is part of the affected production batch Best will strictly recommend to stop using the product with immediate effect. There's a free upgrade kit available for customers to fix the issue.

It is very easy to identify if your Best Red Bar could potentially inherit the defect by checking the serial number on the center bushing on the backside of your bar stick as shown on the picture below. Your bar would only be affected if your product carries any serial number from 16-05311 to 16-06210.

Serial number of your Red Bar on the backside. Any from 16-05311 to 16-06210?

If your bar really is from this production batch you will receive a complete depower rope replacement kit in order to exchange the potentially malfunctioning part. We are very sorry for the hassle coming with the replacement procedure. So we'd like to thank customers for their commitment, understanding and patience with an exclusive 15 % voucher for any purchase at our online shop. Receivers will be able to use their 15 % discount on top of any available offer or product.

We try to organize the upgrade process as smooth and easy as it gets.

1. Check your Best Red Bar's serial number. Is it any serial between 16-05311 to 16-06210?

2. Fill the Warranty Form with ALL your details and upload a picture of your bar with the serial number visible.

3. You receive a confirmation email with your exclusive 15 % discount voucher and further information.

4. You receive your service package with the Depower Rope Upgrade Kit.

5. Follow the instructions shown in the end of this article or watch this Best service video on YouTube to exchange your depower rope correctly and safely.

6. Spoil yourself for the hard work by using your exclusive 15 % discount voucher on the best and latest offers in the Best Online Shop

As a matter of fact the depower rope of a Best Red Bar is a complex piece of engineering. It contains several materials to provide exactly the functionalities we're looking for throughout the different parts of the depower rope. To allow these materials to work together seamlessly… well, it actually takes seams. Stitching a rope like this is called "splicing". Spliced ropes are usually extremely durable; the splicing actually reinforces the entire rope construction while making sure the piece is fit for purpose.

In the very unlikely case things aren't connected the intended way certain line elements can loose connection though and eventually come off. This is what could happen to single products from this production batch of Red Bars and it's the reason for this note now. Keep reading this article to learn more and follow the instructions.

The depower rope running through the original Clam Cleat

As soon as you will have received your personal Depower Rope Upgrade Kit for your Best Red Bar please follow the instructions in the Best service video below to make sure the exchange is as flawless and safe as possible. We know the exchange process takes a little longer than just five minutes and so we really appreciate your effort. We hope you'll be back on the water ASAP to ride with us the way you deserve.

João Cabeçadas is one of the few who knows how to launch a kite off a cruising yacht under way.

This one meant a lot to me: Because it celebrated the 10th anniversary of «Enigma». 10 years ago, my good friend Manuel got his Lagoon catamaran «Enigma». I got to attend the christening of his yacht and her maiden passage along the Portuguese coast. For the purpose I took a ride escorting «Enigma» in that passage, posted last year.

After a transatlantic passage and many miles, «Enigma» was sold.

This year, Manuel got his new Lagoon catamaran «Anima». Again I got to attend the christening and her maiden passage along the Portuguese coast. And I repeated an escort ride, this time around the iconic landmarks Cabo de São Vicente and Sagres. I could bet that not many other riders have made it around this cape, apart from our mate Francisco Lufinha…

João enjoys to combine his passion for sailing and kitesurf.

To make it more special, our crew consisted of the owner Manuel and his father, my two Best daughters and of my soul sister Jennie and my soul brother-in-law Jez (these two straight after landing from Perth to compete in the Dragon worlds in Cascais a few days later). Jennie and Jez have now been involved in some of my most memorable kite adventures in Australia or Portugal!

Thanks to all the crew. And thanks to Best Kiteboarding – RIDE WITH US!

If we ask people what keeps them from riding the latest and safest kite gear we always get the same answer: “New kites are terribly expensive”. Funny enough Best Kiteboarding was founded to change exactly that. But almost 15 years later kites from all brands still cost a hell lot of money. So it’s about time for a disruption eventually.

That’s why Best rethought everything within the company but product quality. We turned our entire organization, sourcing, logistics and marketing upside down and we are ready for a revolution now. We want to know: How many of you riders would buy the latest and safest gear if we cut prices by half? What if a brand new kite with a bar is available at under a thousand Euro or Dollars? Riders in the world: It’s time to gear up and ride with us!

Check out all our new offers and get 40 % discount on all the latest kites and even 45 % discount on kite/bar packages. On top bestkiteboarding.com is offering free shipping during the introduction period! So there are no excuses left to ride outdated kite gear. Now it’s your turn.

A post shared by Best Kiteboarding Switzerland (@bestkiteboardingswitzerland) on Jan 21, 2017 at 8:45am PST

An even hotter hotspot in snowkiting obviously is Norway. Impressive landscape, mind-blowing conditions, endless hills and valleys and the craziest riders you'll find on snow. So Best team riders were pulling off a good show this winter again.

Norwegian idol and Best team rider John Askeland knows how to stay warm in the winter.

A post shared by Bestkiteboardingno (@bestkiteboardingno) on Mar 12, 2017 at 11:37pm PDT

Looking for more reasons to book your ticket to Norway next winter? Watch Richard's presentation of his dream spot…

Well, and then there's Russia of course. Because if there's anybody who knows how to have fun under miserably cold conditions it's definitely Russians. So check out what our mates in Russia have been up for to in the snow this winter…

Richard Newman closing the session on his Roca with a sweet LED light show. See you next winter…

All in all a really cool snowkite season from what we saw and experienced. If you have some more impressions for us to share please don't hold back! Our Best Facebook page is open for you 24/7 to drop your snow-bombs right onto the page. Also of course there's Instagram, so don't forget to tag Best with @bestkiteboarding #bestkiteboarding #ridewithus so that we see all your posts. Otherwise see you on the snow-white fields, hills and valleys next winter.

We’re glad to introduce our new partner in Norway: Ivinden.no. Led by Norwegian fellow Trond Rosenberg Ivinden.no is Best Kiteboarding’s new exclusive dealer in Norway!

Trond has been involved in the kite industry for many years, starting his first kite company called "Norkite" in 2007 before also taking over “Sideshore” in 2014. You can find both shops now under the name "ivinden.no".

Ivinden (Norwegian for "in the wind”) runs both brick-and-mortar store in Kongsberg and highly sophisticated online retail on their website www.ivinden.no. Customers enjoy a wide range of products with a guaranteed delivery time of maximum 24 hours. You will hardly find any better service.

Ivinden also offers professionally organized kite camps and courses all over Norway (and Europe) on both snow and water. So if you’re looking for the right guys to get your Best Kiteboarding gear sorted in Norway or you’re aiming for taking lessons or joining some exciting kite camps in and from Norway Ivinden will be there to help you out.

Of course our genius, stoke exhaling Best Team rider John Arne Askeland and his mates will remain your guys to ride with in Norway if you’re looking for a companion on snow or water.

Getting good power in the loops and catching me well! The waiting game was the hardest but when the contest finally got going it was great. I enjoyed every second of it and I'm very happy with my riding but not so with the result. Although getting kicked out by Ruben is not a thing to be ashamed of. Hopefully we'll get back stronger next year!

The new partner will distribute Best Kiteboarding products of all categories to any other Best shop within the United Kingdom. Entering the position as a true distributor Gecko Surf enjoys extended freedom and responsibility around planning, order process, distribution, national marketing activities and warranty management.

Pure Action Sports couldn’t be more excited to introduce Gecko Surf as the new Best Kiteboarding distributor in the UK. Steady growth and success as well as an unquestioned competence and reputation in the national watersports community make Gecko Surf the perfect match to maintain the British market on the level Best riders in the UK deserve.

You’ll find Gecko Surf among the best beaches on the coast of Anglesey in Rhosneigr in North Wales. Their family run business sells the best quality clothing brands, surfboards, windsurfing and of course kite surfing equipment in their lovely shop in the heart of the village.

If you are looking to get into kitesurfing in North Wales, then Rhosneigr is your place to go. The weather, wind and water on location offer perfect conditions so that Rhosneigr became one of the key spots in the British kiteboarding scene.

So if your looking for the right source to order Best Kiteboarding gear in the UK please don't hesitate to get in touch:

Under the terms of the out of court settlement, Pure Action Sports remain committed to continued production at Performance, and will shortly be placing an order for kites to be delivered in Spring 2017.
As part of the same settlement, Pure Action Sports have agreed that Performance may sell directly a limited quantity of kites produced under the previous agreement and caught up in the dispute. This clearance sale is now on going in Europe and America.

During the dispute period, both parties continued to collaborate on finding a solution to the quality issue that affected a batch of kites if exposed to specific climate conditions. As a result of this collaboration, which included extensive testing, Pure Action Sports and Performance are confident that the issue is now resolved and will not occur again.

Background information about the addressed quality issue
The quality issue affected a batch of kites that, when exposed to warmth (e.g. kites left sitting in a car in the sunshine), showed a high rate of delaminating valves and also broken valve discs. The batch showed a warranty rate above 10 %. Best Kiteboarding, committed to highest quality standards continues to repair or replace all kites affected by this issue.

]]>Fri, 09 Sep 2016 10:27:29 +0000https://www.bestkiteboarding.com/en-us/feed/worldcup-fehmarn/
The kitesurf World Cup in Germany is always the biggest kitesurf event in the world. In the previous years the event has always been held at St. Peter Ordring but this years location was on Fehmarn. Also know as the ‘sunshine island’ All I can say it that it definitely lived up to its name, with 9 out of 10 sunny days! It was my first time on Fehmarn and I really enjoyed the new event location. It was great exploring the island with my Chiemsee Volkswagen California van.

With all the hot weather the wind was very light, the conditions where only suitable for one day to run the freestyle competition. So it all came down to the last day of the event, the end of the day was fast approaching and with no sign of any wind coming! The event was about to be called off with no freestyle results. Competitors started packing their board bags and the camera crew where dissembling the lifestream equipment. To our amazement at 3pm the weather suddenly changed, it became stormy and windy!! Within 20 minuets the competition was on! It was a mad rush for a lot of competitors to re-pump their kites and the camera crew rapidly setup the lifestream again! I think something inside me had faith the wind would come as I did not pack any of my kites up. I had been ready waiting on the beach since 6am! I was very excited and felt full of energy and stoke that after days of waiting the woman’s final was about to start! Their was 6 of us in final. Kajia, V.Westerop, Novotna, Valesa, Galiart and myself.

The final started and I felt a lot more nervous than usual, so nervous I was actually shaking! I crashed my first trick which is the worst way to start a heat!! Psychologically it really knocks your confidence. After this I felt a lot calmer and in control, I knew what I had to do. I landed all my next tricks and finished the heat with a 2nd place. I am very happy with my result and stoked to be climbing the podium at each event! I feel more motivated than ever to train and compete right now. I hope the hard training and good results continue. I’m looking forward to the next event!

Dutch kiteboarder Gijs dethroned former WOO champ Aaron Hadlow by jumping incredible 19,1 meter with his 7 m Best TS yesterday.
Gijs, who apparently shares the same wicked and adrenalin infused blood as big air legend and fellow country man Ruben Lenten, is well known for his ability to pull crazy mega loops in fierce storms. This also ensured a seat in the upcoming Red Bull Megaloop Challenge 2015. Yesterday he competed (and won) at the contest "The Spot" in Zandvoort at 35+ knots. Gijs has been riding Best for 2 years now, usually preferring the GP for mega looping. But yesterday it was all about height so he picked the TS. When the perfect kicker appeared, he went for it and flew higher than everybody else!

Rita: Made it safely to La Manga, Murcia, for the Spanish Nationals!! The spot looks awesome!

Rita completely exhausted after a long day of competing in super light wind. Luckily the wind picked up to 20 knots for the final so she was able to access her complete trick repertoire.

Rita: The comp is done for me! We will have to wait until tomorrow to know the results!

Congratulations Rita for winning the Spanish National Freestyle Championship!

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Washington. We visited the Arlington Cemetery in the morning, right before all the schools and tourists got there and we caught it pretty quiet. I don’t really know what to say about the cemetery but I sure can say wars make way to much damage.
It was sunny, but it was windy and chilly so it was a little annoying to walk around, after Arlington we went to visit the White House.

I thought it would be bigger, or maybe a bigger garden. We got surprised by a protest right in front of the house, which didn’t let us take our selfies properly ha ha ha. We walked around it and took some shots and literally left Washington afterwards, as after all these days on the road we are stoked to finally arrive to our final destination; Cape Hatteras NC.

Today’s “Same but Different” -> It’s really funny to see the accent variation in all the different cities. Same language feels like a totally different one.

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We woke up today and the sun was shining the weather was sweet… You know like they say. Boston has never been on my “want to go” list, so its not like I’m here and I want to do this and that because I heard of it, it just happened randomly so I didn’t and still don’t know what to expect from it. We headed to the WOO sports office again to see what they were up to, Darren one of the guys and with who we are staying with invited us to go surfing with him.

Rhode Island the surf spot it’s around 2h away from the city, with right and left hand points breaking everywhere and pretty much no one out made our day. There was only one thing though; I never thought the water could be so cold at the ocean. I only had gloves and booties on so every single duck dive I did was freezing my brain. We didn’t catch many waves but they were long. A pit stop at Mc Donald’s on the way back and a BBQ for dinner to finish the day. Looks like we’ll have some wind tomorrow so we’ll stay here in Boston to session with the whole WOO team! Looking forward for a session after a while.
Cheers!

PS: I did make a hole on the butt of my wetsuit hoping over a fence. Hahaha.
Today’s “Same but different” -> Many drinks are the same drink, but here you can drink them with many more different flavors.

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Fri, 14 Mar 2014 15:26:11 +0000https://www.bestkiteboarding.com/en-us/feed/maui-wowie/
Fri, 14 Mar 2014 13:02:02 +0000https://www.bestkiteboarding.com/en-us/feed/packing-for-dakhla/
Thu, 13 Mar 2014 13:39:50 +0000https://www.bestkiteboarding.com/en-us/feed/Best-Fest-in-Cape-Hatteras/
From March 30th to April 6th Best Kiteboarding and REAL will bring together the Best pro riders of the world to teach you how to take your riding to the next level. Besides learning new tricks with Chris, Mike and Hannah you can test the newest equipment and, of course, enjoy one week of partying. Also on site: Best board designer Franz Schitzhofer who talks to you about finding the perfect board to match your riding style.

]]>Tue, 25 Feb 2014 14:57:55 +0000https://www.bestkiteboarding.com/en-us/feed/front-360-with-grab/
Tue, 25 Feb 2014 14:46:03 +0000https://www.bestkiteboarding.com/en-us/feed/pulido_winkowska_final/
Mon, 24 Feb 2014 11:17:48 +0000https://www.bestkiteboarding.com/en-us/feed/pkra-panama-wrap-up/
Mon, 24 Feb 2014 10:50:32 +0000https://www.bestkiteboarding.com/en-us/feed/twin-tips-wood-cores/
Kitesurfing is still a relatively new sport and many shapers involved in the development of products came from a Windsurfing background (including me). The knowledge we had built from developing windsurf equipment was highly useful when starting to design the first kiteboards.

The main material used for windsurf cores is foam, not wood, and the reason for this is due to the light weight characteristics.

To give you an idea of weight comparison between wood and foam:

Foam: Used in early kiteboards: 80 – 120kg per cubic meter
EPS-Foam: Used in modern windsurf boards: 15 – 20kg per cubic meter
Wood: Used in modern twintips (Pauwlonia): 320 – 350kg per cubic meter

So there is a huge advantage using foam, instead of wood, to save weight – over 60% lighter. However foam has a big disadvantage – it is not as pressure-resistant as wood. That’s not such a big deal on a windsurf board, as windsurf boards are much thicker than kiteboards. However on a twin tip this lack of pressure resistance can lead to disaster!

Twin tip riders jump hard and do a lot of tricks! For example take PKRA riders or Ruben Lenten, the tricks are getting harder every year and for the past 2 years or so most pros are on boots, adding extra strain to the board. They’re hurting their bodies and their kite equipment.

Due to this radical riding, there is a strong load beneath foot pads or boots. This has a consequence, on a foam-board, that after some sessions small pockets and blisters occur. These details can weaken the structure of the board’s materials and in the end it’s always the same result – a broken board. There are ways to avoid these effects with thicker lamination or more sophisticated materials – carbon, kevlar, thick glass fiber – but then the main benefit of foam, less weight, is gone.

Sandwich constructions, similar to windsurf boards, are a good idea in theory but in the reality of industrial production we have to count every buck and for twin tips a sandwich construction is just too expensive. So that’s the reason why most kiteboard brands use a wood core in their twin tips! We at BEST Kiteboarding use Pauwlonia, Beech and combinations of both materials as a wood core in our twintips. This wood grows in plantations and we force our manufacturers to only use wood that is sustainably managed to save this planet.

Best team rider Alex Neto makes his first ever podium in the single elimination rounds finishing in second place to Christophe Tack for the first stop of the PKRA World Tour in Panama. We are extremely proud of all the hard work and effort that Alex has put into his training. His performance and personal drive make him deserving of such an accomplishment. He will have a nice position for the start of double eliminations where he hopes to meet Tack again in the finals and go for the overall win.

In the women's single eliminations, Best rider Gisela Pulido was defeated by Bruna Kajiya putting her in third place for the time being. She will give it another go in the doubles today and try to climb up the ladder back to her number one ranking. Helena Brochocka will take on Annelous Lammerts today in the next round and we are hopeful for her win as well!

The first day in Panama also brought the start of the single eliminations with Best team riders Alex Neto, Michael Schitzhofer, Helena Brochocka and Gisela Pulido all ready to turn up the heat.

Alex Neto performed quite well in the stacked competition and has won every heat so far. He goes up today against Germany's Mario Rodwald. Michael Schitzhofer was able to take out North America's Eric Rientstra in the first round but did not pass his next tough match up against Aaron Hadlow.

In the women's single eliminations, Best rider Helena Brochocka advances in the first round against Macclure and will meet Annabel Van Westerop in the next round. Current World Champion Gisela Pulido accepts her bye in the first round and will take on Triina Trei from Estonia.

Best team rider Gisela Pulido is ready to showcase why she is the current world champion and 9 times running. She recently returned from a good training session in Sri Lanka and is feeling confident on the water.

The competition in the men's division is going to be strong this year. Best team rider Youri Zoon has been training hard and will make his return on the water at the tour's second stop in Dakhla as this first stop was a bit too early coming back from his shoulder injury. We are sorry to hear that current world champion Alex Pastor just suffered from the same injury in warm up sessions in Panama, we wish you a speedy recovery!

The first heats for qualifying are looking good as Best team riders are spread throughout the ladder ready to put on a show.

Alex Neto has been getting ready in Brazil after a great Vice Champion finish in the Brazilian National Champions.

Austrian champion Michael Schitzhofer returns as one of the veterans of the tour and will be sure to put out a solid performance.

Junior World Champion Noe Font will make the first stop this year at only 15 years old but already showing his progression as he learns from and rides with the Best.

Frenchman Valentin Garat will also be in Panama after coming off training in Brazil ready to go!

Polish rider Helena Brochocka also will make a return to the tour this year to showcase her skills after solid training in Brazil and South Africa.

To: StefanieMy girlfriend Stefanie started Kiteboarding in Australia 6 years ago whilst living in Melbourne. She took part in all of the local KB4Girls events there and loved every minute of it, going on to be an active part of the local St. Kilda kite scene. This love for kiting continued to grow so much so that upon returning to her native Germany 2 years ago in order to take up a new job, she decided to fill the 10 days left before starting her new post by getting one final sunny Kiting session in, heading to El Gouna, Egypt for a KB4Girls 'Global' event. This is when I come into the story, meeting whom i can only describe as not only the 'Best' future girlfriend ever but also now my 'Best' friend and soul mate! I did not get to spend a great deal of time with Stefanie in El Gouna due to the fantastic amount of activities that KB4Girls founder and international Kiteboarding ambassador Kristin Boese had planned for all the girls, but when i did finally get a chance to speak to Stef alone it was amazing and by the end of the week i was hooked, not only to kiting (that week was my first time on a board) but also hooked on her. She was then and is still the most easy-going person I have ever met and time seems to evaporate when I am with her, with hours seeming to fly past in seconds! This is just as well as with not seeing each other more than once every 4 weeks has been hard.

A couple of months of chatting on the phone thankfully vanished quickly after our meeting in Egypt before i could get to see her again, this time in Lancing, UK at another KB4Girls Global Chapter event. By the end of that magical weekend (including me attending the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics) i knew i had made the 'best' decision in seeing her again; a decision that was easy in hindsight.

Now, nearly 2 years since meeting in Egypt and after managing to keep our long-distance relationship going between Germany and the UK, i have decided that the 'best' decision i could make is to move to Hamburg, Germany to live with Stef and start a proper life together! This Valentines day evening (Friday 14th February) i will pack all my worldly belongings into a van, board a ferry from Harwich to the Hook of Holland and then drive to Hamburg. Now we will be able to enjoy many happy years of kite sessions together, wherever in the world the wind may take us, but never apart again!

In April we then both head off to Australia for 3 weeks of kiting in the sun. Stef lives for kiting and is most at one with life when she is on the water. It is time that Stef replaced her 5 year old battered kiteboard with something not just better but the 'best'. This is the minimum she deserves for being my constant guiding breeze throughout these last 2 challenging years and for helping to prove that two people can manage to overcome great adversity and still have a perfect life together. Our trip to Australia would be even more amazing if she was riding a Best board.

Dan Jaspers, UK

And for all the other special valentine's today, here are your nominations of why you are the Best!

To: MomMy Mom is the Best and deserves the Best! She dyed her hair pink to match her new Best kite last Summer!

James O'Brein, Ireland

To: Gabby So i arrive at the beach, the wind in my hair, how lucky to have a girlfriend who really does care, she gets it, understands, and is very carefree, but simply because, she’s more addicted than me! She kites longer and harder, and boosts big on her 8.

Paul Brennan, South Africa

To: Bridget She is the mother to my 2 wonderful kids and the only reason I get on the water. If she wins this board she has a reason to join me on the water and maybe my 3 years old son can try it out too.

Jacob Kofoed

To: Cynthia I want to submit my girlfriend into this contest because she is just so helpfull to me.
She is always there, kiting or taking photos with me. She adapted her life to me with kiteboarding & loves this sport as much as me! She deserve this!

Alex Arseneault, Canada

To: Akvile She's my wife, she smiles a lot, loves and does kiteboarding in summer and winter conditions. She drives a car home safely for more than 300 km, to home town, with bunch of wasted guys, including her husband, after kiteboarding weekends.

Audrius, Lithuania

To: Now, I know that she will be very happy having a new board, a Best one, as we have Best kites.
She told me that she finally learnt to kite to be with me and our daughter, to be together in the beach, and in the sea!-Just for love!
She deserves a new board! I love her!

Ramon, Spain

To: Sally My love and late (kite) starter Sally Stoop, just started 2 years ago and had to learn kiteboarding in quite rough conditions (north Sea and Tarifa). She is now ready for the next step in filling in the "trick-book". My super sporty chica, is now joining me, on trips all around the globe for wind.

Dave de Jonge, The Netherlands

To: CarlyShe is the best and so I have entered this into the competition as I believe that there is no better person than someone who doesn't hold you back from your dreams yet enforces you and has your back the whole time (even when you come home shattered, battered and bruised from a long day riding).

Tom Douglas

To: CharlotteMy girlfriend Charlotte rips really hard in the cold waters of Sweden. The board would start of her season in a radical way. She loves the KB4Girls events and attended one in Malmö with Kristin.

Martin Ericisson, Sweden

To: Katie My girlfriend is very very good at learning things and would be better than me at kitesurfing if she could get out more. She is a full time primary school teacher who has to work rain or shine as it's her first year, and it has made me miss many a kite session when I help her with the mountains of marking she has to do.

Tamas Bogaru

To: JessicaMy girlfriend is a Iraq War veteran, where she served in combat as a veterinary technician caring for military working dogs. I'm teaching her how to kitesurf on a 7m best right now.

Jason Brightmann

To: StephanieThe Best of the Best kitelady's in this world is Stephanie. Stephanie is a lovely kitebabe from the Netherlands that kites every windy day. Even if it's winter!

Sven Luybe

To: the waitress in South AfricaAt my 2 weeks of kite surf holiday in Cape Town I met this amazing girl on one of the last days. Suddently I found my self so deeply in love with a girl I hadn't been able to spend enough time with. She was a waitress at a restaurant, she wrote her name on the bill, I came back two days after. And now she's the only reason I again will go back for two weeks next month. Using the rest of my holiday to be with her.

Marc S. Pedersen, Denmark

To: MandyMy darling is the best because she sacrifices her time going to work and with our 20 month old son so that i can go kitesurfing !!...and she deserves the Best so that she too can start to enjoy kitesurfing to the maximum.

Alisdair Boult, Malta

To: AshleySo Ashley has decided she will leave her job, friends, and family to move down to Hatteras with me this March so I can pursuit my dreams and happiness. Which is why I think MY girl is the best! I couldn't think of a better way to show her how much I appreciate her and what she's doing for me than to win her this board

Aaron Roberts, Michigan

To: Brooke ShawBrooke Shaw is the most amazing and fun person to be around. She can keep up also keep up with any sport and has just gotten into kiteboarding. I would love to be able to share the sport I love so much with her.

Andrew

To: My missesI remember at one stage I was looking at a motorbike. I never got the bike, but kept the girl and got a new kite – I think of her every time I fly the kite. Hopefully she will soon be out on the water with me. Till then she will remain the best beach partner

Neil Sutherland

To: I believe it is a great mix of all of these and my girlfriend has and produces all of these. Kiting and me compete for the number one spot in her life and maybe we will soon both contribute to her happiness because that’s all she deserves after the happiness she has brought to my life.

Bruce Cousins

To: SaraShe definitely deserve to win her dream board and you also give me a change to not buy her a board :) I was two years begging her to come to Thailand, she finally came here to me! So I just want her to be happy :)

Ja Lvan

To: StephanieIt took me months to convince Stephanie into a date. Finally she agreed, and on our second date I gave her a kiting lesson it the brutal cold fall weather of Northern Michigan. She took the cold like a champ and put in the dedication to actually learn how to kite. Fast forward five years and we got engaged.

Matt Myers, Lake Michigan

To: KateThis is my wife Emily warming up after a winter kitesurf session in the UK! Emily SERIOUSLY deserves a bit of luck and would love a Best kiteboard to compliment her Best TS kites. Emily has undergone back and knee surgery 3 times over the last two years and has only just got back on a board a few days ago.

Paul Robinson, UK

To: Sharry She is the love of my life because...she smiles to life, and cannot stay parted from the sea. From the ocean she takes optimism, commitment, reliability, intuition and passion. Sharry is gentle and straightforward, smooth and caring.

Guido

To: Last sunday my wife had her 1st kite lesson. And she did extremely well for her first lesson. So thats why it will be a big blessing to supply her with a board. As I only kite with a directional.

Moselle

To: Carine We recently moved to Cape Town and as you will know one of the best spots for kite surfing quickly got hooked on the sport!!!!!! She is not selfish and would rather be on the beach with me practicing with the kite etc. and enjoying quality things in life than be in the malls like other girls.

Morine Jacobs, South Africa

To: My sister Marije VisserI want to give her a present this valentine because she is the sweetest sister on earth. She is the one who makes me happy, she is the one always in the mood for a kitesurf-session, she is the one who helps me after all my huge kite crashes. She is, to describe it in just one word, simply the "Best".

Adrian Veras

To: NiinaThe life with our loved ones is like the wind, it rarely is steady and fair. I've not always been the Best guy for my girl, Niina. She's been through the storms and calms. For us it is about the determination and the will to succeed. A board, in itself symbolises the delicate instrument of reaching one's goals.

Petri Sandstrom

To: Caitlin My girlfriend, Caitlin is the Best, because till she has a board of here own she comes out to the dirty water hole I use for kiteboarding and hangs with me, waiting for her day to shred.

Shandor

To: Emmanuelle My girlfriend should win your contest because she is the best and she made me discover kite surfing.. More than that here is why: She is the sexiest, adventurious, smart, ambitious... She's available and always looking after people around her and doing her best for everybody to be happy.

David Dupras, Montreal

To: Kira My girlfriend Kira deserves the Best, because she simply is the BEST. We are a couple since almost 10 years and started kiting together one year ago with a group of guys and she can easily compete with everyone. And last but not least, I love her more than anything in the world and therefore she is the Best.

Hans Harte

To: Angela I think my girlfriend Angela deserved a reel nice gift because,she had a real struggled starting to kite surf and almost quit with it. But she took a little brake and tried again and succeeded. And now she Rocks. And because I love her.

Maijn de Kraker

To: Megan MitchellI truly feel and believe Megan is the Best, she has flaws like any other human being, but that is what perfection is. She’s always striving for the Best in everything she does.

Joe Ochoa

To: Esmeralda Ypsilanti We have been in a relationship for 3 years now and I can honestly say that, these past 3 years have been the best of my life. Esmeralda brightens up a dull day and can always make me smile even in difficult moments. She is always positive about the future and has the ability to bring out the goodness in people.

Cornelius Kobrock

To: My girlfriend is not only a beautiful girl but also has unbelievable athletic ability and an unwavering passion for the sport. If there is wind she is kiting. Her love for me is so strong she took the time to teach this untalented, unathletic, boob of a man how to do the sport that she loves so that she could spend more time with me.

Aaron Lee

To: Lizzie Coe I believe she deserves the ‘Best’ because of her extreme motivation to get on the water even in the coldest conditions. She has been out kiting throughout the British winter in all kinds of conditions (sometimes 40knots+), practically every weekend. I consider myself very lucky to be with someone that would prefer to be on the water than out shoe shopping!

Jack Galloway, Poole

To: Michelle WilsonShe had a set back last year and dislocated her shoulder kiting in Scotland but after stabilizing surgery has fought back and is now working on learning some new tricks. We always kite together and she often puts the boys to shame down our local beach in Lancing kiting 30+ knot winds. All at 52 years old!! She's the BEST!

Glen

To: MelHer amazing perseverance, enduring all the bad luck she endures, inspires me and is why I think she is the BEST!
This will be our first Valentine’s Day together and I would love to make it an unforgettable one, by showing her that I will support her through her current healing process and that she will be my kiteboarding buddy again when she gets back on the water - hopefully riding a new board!

Yannick, The Netherlands

To: Elisa She has been the Best partner and I am so very blessed. She is an aspiring kiteboarder and has not been able to get her own gear yet and a new KB4C board would be a blessing for her as she is to me.

Nathan Borer

To: RachelHere is my little mermaid. When she is riding, her eyes become like glittering stars and that fills me with happiness! I love her.

Daniel Lefebvre

To: Krisanne There has never been a doubt in my mind that my leading lady, Krisanne, is the Best! She is the most kind, caring, and empathetic person I know. Krisanne also puts up with whatever my obsession is at the time. With our second season about to begin, I thought it would be great if she could start it off on a new board to become as obsessed as I am. It is the least I can do considering the support she gave me this past season.

Jon

To: My girlfriend My love deserves the Best because she is practicing very hard te get as confident on the water on a board as she is in our relationship making my life one big pleasure.

Bram van Kempen

To: Look my girlfriend smiling for me. Being with her means feel free. Ready for new adventures. Strong to face challenges. Flexible when I need support. She likes beach, water and loves the wind like me. She is unique and perfect. She is the Best!
She will be an excellent kiteboarder, just because she fell in love with the sport.

Tayro Mendonça L. Bezerra, Brazil

To: AliceMy wife Alice. 3rd week of lessons. Loving the sport!

John P. Batson, MD, FACSM, South Carolina

To: LoriRain,shine cold, or hot, light wind, strong wind this girl is on the water all the time. Best of all, always with a smile and laughing. Happy Valentine's Day to all the ladies. :)

Cory Mier, South Carolina

To: KaitlynThe truest love is between a father and a daughter. That love is multiplied when enjoying a great session on the water. Kaitlyn is sixteen, beautiful, and quite the kiter. What makes her the Best? The boys on the beach stare in awe but she's more interested in the wind and waves. What else could a father ask for? She has progressed as a rider and a KB4Girls board would help her advance to the next level. For a brand that promotes awesome riding, big personalities, and visual pleasantries, Kaitlyn is a perfect fit!

Jeremy Evans

To: CatherineI would like to nominate my fiancee, Catherine Tanner for the valentines day contest. She is the one who got me into kiteboard and has spent many hours at the beach teaching and helping me develop my skills. When at the beach for a kite by ourself she always lands me first with her kite in the air, and when launching will send me out first and then self launch. She has also just competed in the South Australian Kiteboarding Freestyle competition and taken out the open womens division. In 25-32 knots on a 7m she crashed hard in the first 30 seconds of the final but got back up and pulled off an unhooked powered F-16 to win the Women's event! She always stops and help out other kiters and give tips and advice to new kiters to ensure the are safe.

Scott Johnson

To: EvaShe deserves a nice new board, because:
- She will not stop kiting, not below 5c not with 30+knts
- She's pushing herself, she will land her first handlepass this year (I think)
- She get's more girls on the boards, because she organises events, just for that.
- She's the Best thing that happened to me.

Ferry Kager

To: My Girlfriend is the Best cause she is the nicest person in the world, she is hot really sporty and she loves to kite!! I LOVE HER!

Marcel Glaser

To: NagythaNagytha Beking deserves the Best because she makes their first jumps last year in Brasil. Next to that she is a lovely and beautiful girl!

Maarten Hoek, Netherlands

To: A picture of my lady ripping it in Greece.
I'm just so sad. My girlfriend also is contaminated with the kitevirus and it's all because of me.
When I go to the beach she always wants to come with and it's costing her whole salary to buy all medical supply's she needs... (kiteboards, kites, wetsuits and so on)
Please help my valentine to reduce her medical bills so she can get rid of here old worn out board and get the best... A Best kiteboard!

David

To: Katharina She is the Best because, she makes me smile every morning, although I'm grumpy in the morning. She travelled 16000 km around the globe to bring me my kite, while I was studying abroad and she learned kiteboarding with 3 degree celsius water and air and loved it.

Michael

To: Lise Robert Thanks for this opportunity my wife of 15 years has decided to pick up KITESURFING and she love’s the Best kite surf equipment and took her first step this december in Cuba.
She deserve to win this contest and she will be a PROUD representative for your company has we travel 2 or 4 time a year for the sport.

Francis Martel

To: For the past 5 years she has patiently followed me around to kiting spots and has been the best kite slave helping me setup, getting out of tangles etc. However the last couple of months she decided to get out there to give it a crack herself and is now ripping around on the snow. I cannot wipe the smile off her face, she has the kite bug.

Marty

To: My girl My girls the best because she never gives up!

Alexander Franklin

To: Nele She had the most gorgeous smile. I offered to help her set up the kite properly and walk her into the water as the beach was tiny and not really suitable for beginners. I spent the next two hours teaching her and I felt happy to be blessed with her company. We have been together ever since that day. Our love keeps growing as we share our lives and plan for a family.

Tibu

To: Why my lady is the best you ask? There are more reasons then one, But the best is that she always gives me the last run.

Emiel, The Netherlands

To: My girlfriendLove for sure did a lot, but the kitesurf took a big place too. I taught her kitesurfing (and I still do it), and this has allowed her to experience new sensations and calm down.
Now, she has her own kite (BEST TS 9m of 2013) , but after a lot of work (and it’s not easy to work and study when you’re 18 !). She dreams about kitesurfing in the world, be a champion, you can help her a lot to realize her dreams.
Of course, she has a lot of equipment to buy, but the board is one of the most important..
For all of that, I hope for her sincerely, she will have the best prize I can give to her (after my love..)

Valentin Girard-Pécarrère, France

To: My wife Because she likes the Best logo and because she is a mother of our already kitesurfing 13 years old daughter Eva (she will become 14 on Valentine's day)!

Ron, The Netherlands

To: Tina She is the one who makes a kite session the best thing you ever experienced, there is nothing like a good day at the beach with her. It's time she gets a new board to make her even smile bigger when she's jumping and ripping like a real hellish.

Leo

To: DjuantiMy valentine deserves the Best kiteboarding valentine-price, because she is; Like a kiteboard - keeping me from sinking. Like a kite - making me move forward and even upwards sometimes. Like a bar - she steers me in the right direction whenever its needed

Bob

To: Her smile is like the sun and breeze and make me fly!

Maurizio Rizzo

To: my girlfriendTo be straight and accurate.
In Poland temperature is 2C, rainy and 100% cloudy forecast for tommorow. My girlfriend is mostly flat rider, started kiting last year. I love waves.
She wants to take me kiting on Baltic Sea on Valentine's Day.
She is the Best :)

Andrzej K., Poland

To: AafkeI've been together with Aafke for 2,5 years, and it has been a blast, most likely the best thing that happend to me! Super enthusiastic, funny, always up for an adventure, swimming with sharks, hiking volcanoes, camping in the city center of Taipei, surfing, doing charity work, and she works passionately on living her dreams. Since last summer not only my girlfriend anymore, but also my best kite buddy! She got addicted this after learning how to ride, going upwind and kept on riding until the stars were up in the air! She bought a 2nd hand selfmade board and two best kahoona's and is absolutely loving it. Checking the wind all the time and still riding in the winter even when it was freezing at night(and next valentine's weekend)!

Marco Lubbers, Amsterdam

To: SilviaMy girlfriend is the Best: she crossed Spain (900km) to come to live with me and be able to go kiting for the rest of our lives. She learned to kite in muddy lakes with gusty air and now, she has ended up riding in the marvelous beaches of Barcelona. I don't know if she loves me or the beaches more hehe. I have always encouraged her to improve in kiteboarding and, as she has done very well on the last three years, we are going to travel together to go to the Spanish Championship this year. Wish her luck! She deserves the BEST :)

Deivis, Spain

To: LisaMy lady is amazing because not only does she put up with all my kiting nonsense (disappearing for sessions, talking about gear, needing money for travel, etc., etc.), but now she’s keen to get riding herself!
Why not start her off with some of the Best gear on the planet?!?!

Andrew Rourke, Waterloo, ON

To: JesselynMy fiancé, Jesselyn LaValley, is the reason I took up the amazing sport of kiteboarding. Despite me growing up on surf/snow/skateboards, I never pulled the trigger on kiteboarding until she booked us for our first lesson in 2011. She’s a natural at everything and a darn good athlete, so it was no surprise she was up and riding on the first day. We work on US Navy ships and our jobs allow us to travel together, which we are so thankful for. Here’s a pic of us after a session in Boracay (where she showed me up, as usual):
When it gets too cold for her to hit the water, she still tags along and will even inflate my kite while I’m suiting up. She’ll even brave the cold and sit on the beach to snap some pictures of me riding. She’s an amazing chick who’s always willing to try something new and go on an adventure. And most of all, she’s willing to be my partner in crime for the rest of our lives, which is why she deserves the BEST!

Spencer Johnston

To: TabithaTabby is my ‘leading lady’ for many reasons, some of the kiting related ones being she is there in the horrific conditions as well as the beautiful ones, she’ll be there with a camera helping film, have glucose tablets at the ready (I’m type 1 diabetic), help guide me to work out where I’m going wrong on new tricks. When we met she was scared of the sea but steadily I have managed to get her hooked on kitesurfing and that sums her up really well; she is willing to try any sport (even if she needs a little persuasion at first) and will conquer her fears in the pursuit of fun! One of my favorite memories is riding with her on my back from one end of the beach to the other with her yelling “faster, faster..”. Together we form the perfect kitesurfing team, helping each other progress but most importantly always having fun.

Ben Pickup

To: my girlif she wins she will have no excuse not to learn! muahahaha- always wanted a kitesurfer girlfriend.

Ben McCann

To: CathyMeeting Cathy was the BEST thing for me as she shook up my world. Shes gorgeous and simply the BEST. Teaching her to kiteboard was the BEST for both of us as we now get to travel the world together instructing and riding at the BEST kite spots as we go. Shes encouraged countless girls onto the water where they may have otherwise shied away. (As you can see she needs a new BEST board to compliment her Best TS 12m)

jonny smith , UK

To: Marie-EveMy wife Marie-Eve Mayrand is the BEST kitesurfer to win the board for these unequivocal reasons:
1. I love her
2. She is obsessed with kiteboarding
3. She is one of the most active and visible kiteboarders in Alberta
4. She wishes she had a BEST board and will kill me if she doesn't win the contest

Charles Hamel, Canada

To: JazminJazmin has kited all over the world and this photo taken in Fiji displays her passion for kiting. Never have I seen another so eager to chase the wind and find a memorable session! She brings vibrant warm energy to the beach and spreads her love of the ocean to everyone around her. Even in adverse conditions, she makes the Best out of them and always keeps a smile on her face! Three times she has made the podium at Kiteboarding for Cancer, an annual fundraiser in Hood River, Oregon which highlights the struggles that cancer survivors must endure. Her commitment to the people she loves and her passion of kiteboarding has changed the lives of many.
She deserves the Best because in my mind she is the Best! She has taken time from her session to help patch my kite so we could share the water and waves. She has helped untangle my self rescue lines, and used the school jet ski to save unlucky kiters(me) when the winds drops. She has covered my lessons so I might have a session that day, and she has been my photographer and videographer/editor for many projects. Her actions and attitude exemplify the Best things in life: a never ending smile, an always positive attitude and a hope that one day we can all find our perfect session on a new Best board!
We will be spending valentines day far from the oceans she's loves so much and the gift of a new twin tip would be exceptionally welcome during this long north american winter.

Aaron Mack

To: JulietHer name is Juliet. She is the Best.
Imagine the daughter of Princess Peach and Lara Croft. Royàle, elegant, smooth - but with the fervor of a dragon, always seeking for new adventures and for the myriads of treasures in the world. She thrives for an epic life, for boundaries unbound, with the utter desire to breathe in every second of youth and happiness she can get. Since she is a pro photographer, this thirst for strong emotions and sensation is a blessing, more than a curse, but it surely makes her difficult to tame, if not impossible at all.
I met her as a woman in black, all elegant in our fashion town, Milan, with a catike sexiness that could have molten every man. I was intrigued by the mystery and by the fire hiding behind her emerald green eyes, embellished by an urban make-up made of lines and shadows. It was love at first sight and at ever and ever sight. I soon realised what an atom bomb she was, stripping me to the bare essentials of my soul every time she exploded. And so, from the beginning on to many years later, I have grasped this truth everytime we are on an adventure - be it on an American roadtrip, on the Meltemi pushed waves of Greece, in the wilderness of remote China or riding my kiteboard on the Atlantic water: I have found the Best companion for enjoying life down to every single vein of it. Her love, mashed with herself, push me to enjoy the Best moments of it, not envying me, or restraining me, but allowing me to break free. And the rest is rust and stardust.

Giacomo Viggiani

To: EmmaFor my awesome wife, Emma, who has spent the last 3 years launching, landing, photographing and even rescuing me as I learnt to Kitesurf!
She has also done this for other kitesurfers as a volunteer for the Big Charity Downwinder in 2013.
Finally she has given in to temptation and is learning to kite herself!
I would like to say a massive thank you to her for all her help and support!

Andy Weaver

To: my girlI would like to nominate my girlfriend because she is the best. She is my soulmate and my best friend.
First she went nuts because all I talked about was kiteboarding, Ruben lenten and Youri Zoon, how awesome this sport is.
In October we went to see the red bull megaloop challenge in sandpiper, it's a 4 hour drive from our home, and she didn't even liked kiteboarding at that moment but she came with me anyway.
After every she had put up with, she still went on a 4 hour drive, to stand on a beach with a cold strong wind.
Then something changed, she was being to see how awesome this sport is.
Now she is the won who is talking constantly about kiteboarding.
She is driving me nuts.
So that's why I think she deserves the Best KGB4Girls board.

Bas Raaijmakers, Netherlands

To: my wifeMy wife gave everything up, job, friends, location to join me in a foreign country. As luck had it, we became pregnant quick and while I still was able to enjoy kiting was she grounded for over a year and just starts finally getting back on the water. Ist hard for her to let go of her motherly duties, but when she does and hits the water, I can just see on her smile how much it means to her, and how it fulfills her. The best part about it… out little girl is so proud of her mother when she sees her flying through the air. She is only 2 years old, but you can her pointing and smiling. So excited!
Giving her this board will give her the extra motivation to hit the water while daddy takes care of the little one.

Chris Schowalter, Germany

To: JolijnUnfortunately i will not celebrate valentine this year.
Me and my boyfriend broke up about 3 weeks ago, just before our 2 years anniversery.
My haert is broken and you guys can fix it !
Please make my "lonely valentine", the BEST valentine ever !!
I would watch television with this board, i would sleep with this board .
And not to forget, i would celebrate valentine on the water, kiteboarding like the BEST!!

Jolijn, belgium

To: My dear ladyI think my dear lady is the best cause she's always willing to join for any kiting, surf or water activity or trip! She gives me a lot of motivation even when we face the worst condition! Oh wait! she's the best too when she show me other stuff to do on a beach - like sitting on himan bronze status ;)

Adrien Riot

To: Eve Parker I’m so lucky to have Eve, who is the most beautiful, fun, caring and loving girl in the whole world. She is the best and deserves nothing but the best. I have recently been teaching her to Kitesurf and she has all the gear apart from a beautiful pink Kiteboard! I would love to give her the best present I could possibly think of on our first Valentine’s Day together.

Gisela Pulido is no stranger to winning, 9 World Titles in Freestyle and an excellent comeback on the PKRA this year to defeat Karolina Winkowska and take the World Title once again! Iksurfmag has a huge interview with Gisela in the latest issue, in it she candidly speaks about the World Tour, the level of women’s kitesurfing and also what it is like to lose. Congratulations Gisela on being voted the Best Female Rider for 2013 by Iksurfmag readers!

What tricks are you working on: Flat 3 variations off waves, working on my style and want to put in grabs.

Inspirations: A guy from my local beach that learned to kite at 60 years old and when I’m in my full winter 6mm wetsuit he is still shredding in his summer wetsuit!

Unforgettable Moment: The day I learnt to stay upwind, I was screaming so loud on the water and it was onshore wind so the whole of my beach heard my magic moment too! Another special memory was the day I did my first air pass at my local beach, Lytham.

Best Trip Ever and why: That’s hard to say, I feel very grateful to have had so many great adventures & opportunities. My favorite trip was probably my first ever trip to Turkey with my local kite friends. The spot was amazing, totally empty with wind every day. Every session I was nailing something new on the water. The kite school also took us on loads of different adventures daily to really get the full Turkish experience. Turkish people are some of the most lovely people I have ever met.

Why I ride for Best: I’m over the moon to be riding Best Kiteboarding equipment, the performance and quality of the gear really is simply the ‘Best’. I feel totally in control on the water. My riding is becoming so much stronger on my new quiver of Extracts kites and TS’s. For me one of the greatest feelings in kitesurfing is the thrill of progressing. With my gear performing at such a high level I’m confident my riding will too.

What are your plans now with the Extract team around Ruben Lenten and all the other world champions like Youri Zoon and Gisela Pulido as team mates? I'm super excited to join such a prestigious team of the sport’s top athletes. It’s really inspiring to surround myself with such a close knit and dedicated group of riders who have become great friends. Best had really been able to create a very welcoming family atmosphere and I couldn't be happier to be working with the Best! I'm currently in Cape Town with Ruben and Lewis where we've already begun working on a new extreme video pushing the limits of the sport and working on some projects that we need to keep under wraps. ;) You'll have to keep a close eye on what’s to come!

Are you already looking forward to the next team shoots with Best? Absolutely. It's an exciting time for all of us.

We've got one free slot still available in our 2014 national team and it could be you! WIN this slot by an easy application process and activate your friends to vote for your future as the next Youri Zoon!!! The winner will be the applicant with the most "FB LIKES" - boost your chances and activate your social community!!! If you think you've got what it takes and like the idea of receiving a pair of TS kites, bar and Armada board package worth over AU$4,000 to help you strut your stuff then apply today. One lucky rider will get a team ride for the whole 2014 season and maybe even beyond. As a new team rider you will get to attend a training session with our global / national team riders. We'll feature you in our promotional material and as part of the team.

Check out our Facebook app on the Australian Facebook Page and find out how you can enter to have a chance to join our team!

Rules• Have to be based in Australia
• Gear has to be used and is not for retail
• Rider has to give updates which we can post on the web page
• Is representing the brand for 1 year

]]>Wed, 04 Dec 2013 12:10:21 +0000https://www.bestkiteboarding.com/en-us/feed/back-on-water/
Tue, 03 Dec 2013 09:29:43 +0000https://www.bestkiteboarding.com/en-us/feed/champion-neto/
Mon, 02 Dec 2013 17:29:28 +0000https://www.bestkiteboarding.com/en-us/feed/storm-winds/
Mon, 02 Dec 2013 17:22:19 +0000https://www.bestkiteboarding.com/en-us/feed/happiness/
We often get shout outs from our Best enthusiasts around the world. We love to hear about the stoke that we all share and passion for the wind. Here is a nice story that touched us that we wanted to share. Be thankful and enjoy every moment of life sharing happiness to those around you.

Dear Best Kiteboarding,

A few months back I saw a photo of a couple of “Best Ink Tattoo’s” on your facebook page. It has taken me some time to write this letter & share my personal Best Ink due to its nature. Last year I lost my incredibly amazing girlfriend & the raddest kite chick ever to a tragic car accident.

The two+ years prior to that horrible day, Kristine Lee Davidson and I enjoyed 3 amazing seasons kiting in the small town of Wasaga Beach, Ontario, using solely Best Gear.

I had been into kiting before I met Kristine & had a full quiver of Best gear (Waroo’s, Nemesis & of course a 2011 Taboo that I purchased from Sam Medysky himself). When Kristine & I met she instantly took to the sport and picked it up faster than anyone I’ve ever seen.

As soon as she was up and riding she was calling it her first love (not sure where that bumped me to). Kristine was hooked, she worked two jobs serving while putting herself through school, often stopping at the beach for 1-hour sessions in between shifts. It was safe to say she was a wind junkie!

I do not want this letter to be taken as a sad story, instead I hope it reaches Best as a shout out and a HUGE THANK YOU for providing us with the BEST 3 years of our lives!

I still have Kristine’s 2008 11m Best Waroo today and take it out to ride every chance I get. Her spirit lives on with the kite. Thank you for sharing my story.

Since joining Best at the beginning of February I have been trying to go bigger and better. The awesome support I was received from the brand gave me so much motivation, with this and a lot of training too I won the first stop of the tour. At the last stop in my hometown Cumbuco I got 3rd. I was pretty happy with my results even with my 3rd. With all my points totalled I had won the Vice Champion title. I'll admit that the kid who won the overall rank was ripping, and grabbing 7's so I guess he deserved it!

I aim to continue my success and hope that I will achieve many more good results in the future!

Our passion for the ocean and wind has been translated into our new apparel line that was recently presented in our flagship store in Madrid, Spain on November 14th, 2013. Best team riders Youri Zoon, Ruben Lenten and the newly crowned 2013 PKRA World Champion Gisela Pulido were all present to celebrate the big day as well as Gisela's 9th World Title.

The apparel line provides a mix of comfort and elegance, designed for those who want to feel at ease in a garment yet display a look of sportiness. The originality of the interior décor and design, transports anyone who walks in directly from the bustling streets of Madrid to a scene of beach, sun and waves. We plan to open more stores in the near future as a commitment to offer the best quality in apparel for sport enthusiasts.

We would like to thank all that joined us for our celebration and if you happen to be in Madrid, make sure to stop in for a visit and see what Best has to offer. As well, a select offering may be soon be available at a Best retailer near you.

To learn more about the Global Female Kite Day please visit www.kb4girls.org to find a KB4girls chapter near you and become part of their celebrations. Female kiters from all kite sports (kiteboarding, snowkiting, buggying and powerkiting) are encouraged to get out on Sunday December 1st, fly their kites with their girlfriends, post photos and stories on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter tagging #KB4girls #GlobalFemaleKiteDay, and to become KB4girls Foundation members.

There is something about the Philippines that makes me keep on coming back here. Thanks to my amazing mother who has given me great education and an upbringing paired with a lot of great opportunities, I was one of those lucky ones who had a potential ticket to get out and have a better life outside the Philippines.

What is a better life any way? In our society, a better life is perceived as having a successful white collared career, cars, and other materialistic things are what are needed in order to be happy. Actually 2/3rd's of the country's population don't have these things, but if you ask me, I'd say the Filipino people are the happiest people on earth.

In the Philippines, life is simple and true, we are living very close to nature, we believe in order to find happiness we must live with the natural flow of nature. It is also said to be the most dangerous land to live in due to its exposure to natural calamities brewing up in the pacific. But why do we live here?

After several years of trying to find the perfect place to move, i find myself back home, in this little island in the tropics called Boracay. Being so close to nature and its wonders and disasters, one gets grounded on the fundamental values you need in order to survive and be happy such as humbleness, gratitude and compassion. Boracay, is for me the most beautiful island in the world, and it's also windy most of the time. Life is simple, its great and we work to live happy not vice versa.

About 2 1/2 weeks ago, kiters, sailors and divers alike saw a disturbance in the wind on Nov. 8th gusting up to 70 knots at that time which was not normal, nothing we've ever seen before in our forecasts. Tension built up in the entire island with the talk on what this forecast will bring, and true enough it was a super typhoon that the world has never seen before. About 5 days before the storm, the website www.typhoon2000.com, which is a popular local site for us to view typhoon tracks, showed a super typhoon with maximum contained winds of 250 knots directly on the path of Boracay. I've been through numerous typhoons before and the worst part about living at the beach is during a typhoon, and this is something i was not looking forward to.

The Super Typhoon Haiyan Yolanda was predicted to arrive Boracay/ Panay group of islands at 9 pm on the 9th, at this point our tide was at its highest and we were expecting storm surges and waves up to 7-9 meters high. Since we are located on the direct path of the eye, our kite beach (Bulabog will get hit first, and at about 2 am the storm will turn hitting all the establishments at white beach with all its fury. With 7 meter surges, Boracay will be wiped off of the map.

I really hoped that it was a joke or something, but it was not. First things first, I evacuated my home, my lovely home on the third level at a nice beachfront compound. My home is simple, it is half concrete and half bamboo. i was pretty sure that my house would be gone in one sweep of 250 knots or even less. The beaches were empty, the tourists fled, the locals evacuated into the mountains and in the midlands, but in the end there was nowhere to be safe at that point. The island was closed to the outside world, boats stopped crossing, electricity was down (thank god for generators) and the church was full.

I ended up staying with my girlfriends, yoga mentor and "mom" on the island with her family at Hey Jude hotel in d'mall (midland) as we believe the mountains are not safe due to the strong winds. Honestly, I was scared because it is like preparing to die, not just you but everyone around you. At this point I was just blank, remembering all those times I was indoors hiding from the terrible storm when I was a little kid.

We blocked all the glass windows and doors of the room, packed food, clothing and necessities for the next two weeks. I even packed my wetsuit and googles. I was ready to swim. The goal was to survive. There we waited, and sang, played, drank a little and prayed, that for some miracle we make it out there alive.

The storm came earlier than expected at 2 pm in the afternoon it was already howling at 70-100 knots. Roofs were gone, billboards were flying away, trees were down, we had nothing to do but watch the destruction of the outside world from our little bunker. We waited and waited, checked the news and waited. We saw what the storm destroyed on first landfall, we waited, we were scared.

At around midnight the news covered that the storm passed Panay island already, to our surprise we were ok, what was predicted to be a category 5 storm, turned out to be a category 3, all the luck in the world was within us. Upon seeing the infrared tracking of the storm, for some reason the eye dispersed as it entered Panay Islands, it came earlier than expected and it was low tide. Boracay was spared, but the islands around were not. Talk about faith and prayer. We cannot really explain how this happened.

I was also lucky that my house was intact, just minor leaks and flooding on the floor but i was well prepared, all my things were packed and stayed dry. The whole island had minor damages but that included our communication lines and electricity which brings us back to sleeping under the stars, candle lit dinners and daylight saving time. That's just minor compared to our neighbors...the worst was yet to come. After a few days of enjoying the stary dark skies, the power was back on some areas and we saw what the typhoon did to our neighbors, it was devastating, heartbreaking and nerve racking at the same time. There were an estimated 10,000 reported deaths and hundreds of thousands more that were displaced. Now, residents of Boracay have gathered to host different fundraisers to help nearby islands that are inaccessible. I hope you can help in your own way, these families have no food, no shelter and even no loved ones to care for them.

Talk about luck and magic. Boracay is indeed a magical place, this island is where I spent most of my teenage years, here I learned almost everything I know about life, love, family and friends. Truly there is no place like home, I searched far and deep, but I still always wanna go back to this island called Boracay.

Please join me in my vision to rebuild the spirits of my fellow Filipinos through the good way we know how.
After the recent typhoon, it breaks my heart to see and feel that we, the happiest people on earth have lost our magic, our warmth and our faith that there is always a rainbow after the rain.

I arrived in Brazil just 3 weeks ago on Oct 10th. For the first couple of weeks I spent my time in a small fishing village in northeast Brazil called Taiba just one hour from Fortaleza. The conditions in Taiba are amazing! There is a flat water lagoon just 2km from my apartment which has made for a great training grounds.

The last week of October I headed five hours north along the Brazilian coast line to a spot called Tatajuba, where I spent one week working with KiteWorldwide and competing in a local kite regatta. I spent the week in Tatajuba coaching a clinic with KiteWorldwideto a group of ten advanced kiteboarders, mostly Europeans. The conditions in Tatajuba were great and mother nature pulled through with wind everyday. All of the students were able to achieve their goals from landing there first jumps to working on front and back rolls. Really happy to have been there and contribute to their success in the early stages of their freestyle kiteboarding.

To cap off the week there was kiteboarding regatta: Zona do Vento Tatajuba Kite Race. In the men's divisions there were 26 participants and 10 in the womens. It was 6 man heats with 2 riders advancing from each heat to make up the finals. I managed to take 1st in my first heat which put me into the finals. The wind had dropped a bit for the finals but I stayed on the same size kite regardless. I had a tough start and fell back a few places on the start line. I managed to catch up to the leader of the race but wasn’t able to pass him in time before the finish. I took second overall in the race and Marissa Dodd took first in the women’s division.

Big thanks to Benny from KiteWorldwide and Zona do Vento for a great time in Tatajuba!

Some words from 2 x World Champion Youri Zoon:
"Congrats to Alex Pastor the 2013 PKRA world champion! Unfortunately this year for me didn't go as I planned. And due my shoulder injury I couldn't make it to China to defend the world title. Well done to Alex for running a superb year, well deserved!
Congrats to Christope Tack as well to win his first PKRA event! Keep an eye on him! Next year I will be back to battle for the 2014 world title. Well done guys! And to my Best team mate Gisela Pulido on her win. Good luck for the next tour stop

The level of riding this year has really stepped up but Alex was to come out on top and claim his title early this year, not having to battle to the final stop. Now Alex can relax for the last events, bask in his glory and already start to think on how he will defend his title next year. Our Best team will be ready for the challenge! :)

]]>Thu, 24 Oct 2013 10:29:06 +0000https://www.bestkiteboarding.com/en-us/feed/on-set-in-dubai/
Thu, 24 Oct 2013 09:15:20 +0000https://www.bestkiteboarding.com/en-us/feed/gisela-wins-pingtan/
Thu, 24 Oct 2013 09:07:57 +0000https://www.bestkiteboarding.com/en-us/feed/cabo-cruising/
Thu, 24 Oct 2013 08:57:32 +0000https://www.bestkiteboarding.com/en-us/feed/welcome-the-winter-waves/
Over the past 12 years I have spend quiet a bit of time on Maui - the birth place of kiteboarding and one of my favourite kite places in the world. There are a lot of things that I love about Maui... the natural beauty of the island, the amazing community of kiters, the warm water, the trade winds, the waves...
One of the most exciting things to experience when you are on Maui is a big winter swell. Excitement is in the air and for the duration of the swell pretty much everything revolves around exactly that. Make your way down to Ho'okipa and overlook the North Shore to feel the sheer power of mother nature, or better yet, check out Jaws and watch the drama unfold. Unforgettable moments for sure!

That I am not the only one anticipating these big winter swells became obvious to me when I received an invitation to an "End Of Summer - Welcome the Winter" event. Last night (October 19) the Maui Kiteboarding Community gathered at the Shibley Residence for their annual celebration, welcoming the winter by burning a kite board (mind you, its not a real kite board, people here on Maui are very environmentally conscious!) as a sacrifice to the wave gods (and wind gods as well of course). What a cool idea and what a nice evening with the Maui Kiteboarding Community. :)

The funniest part of the evening were for sure some of the messages that everyone had written on the board for the wave gods. If you get a good glimps at the picture below you might be able to read some of them. :)

Enjoy your winter, wherever you are - and may the wave (and wind) gods be with you.

So last weekend I participated at the Brazilian National Championship in Barra Grande beach north east of Brazil (Piaui). I found the conditions really hard, and very similar to Fuerteventura.

I've been training a lot and was very focused for the event and for up coming events. I stopped training in the Lagoon a few days before I went to the event. I decided to start going more into the sea because this is where the tricks become tricky. I think this helped me a lot to get the 1st place.

The first stop of the Brazilian championship had pretty choppy water and the wind was strong and gusty. My participation in the PKRA event in Fuerteventura and the training in the choppy water conditions in Cumbuco really helped me.

I want to say thank you for the all the support especially to the ones that are following me and giving me inspiration to keep on going!]]>

I had a great time at the Kite Tour Europe Event in Scheveningen this past week.
The competition was tough but in the end I was able to secure a podium with my 3rd place finish.
It was nice to have my team mate Youri Zoon join us at the event as well representing in his home country.

The Dream Extreme Fundraising event and KB4girls female kite clinic on Long Island/New York took place for the 4th consecutive time from September 20 to 22, 2013.

Once again beautiful sunshine and the perfect breeze blessed the event and supplied the perfect conditions for the beginner and advanced kiterboarders that joined the KB4girls clinic part of the event. For the first time Dream Extreme had been opened up to male participants as well, resulting in a group of 25 female and 5 male participants that combined their forces to raise funds for STEPS to end family violence through personal fundraising pages, donations and the silent auction at the dinner and dance party on Saturday evening.

It was not only thanks to the amazing participants and donors that Dream Extreme empowered females (and this time also a few men) through the sport of kiteboarding, it was also thanks to all the incredible pro-coaches as well as volunteers that had flown in from all over the world to help and make the event happen, including Oli Berlic, Billy Bosch, Juan Carlos Morales, Marissa Dobbs, Chris Doyle, Joanna Kowalska, John Pereira and the NY Kite Center, Hope Levin, Teddy Lyons, Sam Medysky, Jon Modica, Jason Norwood, Rich Sabo, Matt Sexton, Chris Stuckey and Terri Tapper and KB4girls founder and president Kristin Boese.

Non kiting guests also had a fantastic time enjoying beach activities at the beach bash and watching the pros ride and teach. The dinner party on Saturday evening topped it off with good food, great people, an amazing auction and an exciting slide show of the day’s festivities.

A huge thanks goes to organizer and Dream Extreme founder Linda Argila of Solutions New York who once again made the impossible happen and of course to every participant, coach, volunteer, donor and sponsor that helped to raise an incredible 200000 US$ for the STEPS program.

Sir Richard Branson and hundreds of kitesurfers have broken a Guinness World Record in Hampshire.

The 318 participants formed the largest parade of kitesurfers to complete a one-mile course.

More than 250 were needed at the event at Hayling Island Golf Course to break the record.
The Virgin boss said: "When you see the beauty of all these kites up in the sky it's magnificent [and] this is more than has ever happened before."
Funds were raised for Snow-Camp, the RNLI and Virgin Unite.

Sir Richard, who led the parade out to sea, added: "Kiting is one of the best sports there is, if not the best sport. Kiters are always up for a challenge and so I suspect next year there will be 600 kiters, and the year after that 900, and so on.
The most perilous aspect of this is kites getting tangled up in the sky [but] it's really, relatively, very safe.
I'd recommend it to anybody, just being out on the sea, blown by the wind, bouncing across the waves."

Sir Richard already holds the Guinness World Record as the oldest person to kitesurf across the English Channel.

A special thanks to our Best team rider Lewis Crathern for helping with the organization and efforts to make this happen! Great job Lew and the rest of the Snow-Camp team!

In the summer of 1998 at the age of 8 I was introduced to the sport of kiteboarding. My father Daniel Medysky bought a Wipika classic 8.5m and a couple of smaller Concept Air traction kites. We both took our fair share of beatings while learning how to kiteboard but we were hooked from the start. As our kiteboarding progressed into the early 2000’s I began to take a liking to the freestyle aspect of the sport and progressed very quickly. In 2003 my Dad took me to the Velocity Games Us open in Corpus Chrisi, Texas. This was one of the first events to hold a junior division (16 and under) With surprise to both my father, family and I. I won the event.

After this I was hooked on the sport and the competitive side of things. I soon after I quit playing organized Hockey, Baseball and began to ride as much as possible. Following the PKRA world tour, reading every magazine and, buying all the movies soon became an everyday activity. In August of 2005 there was the first ever Canadian Nationals (Rendez-Vous Adventure) in Magdalen island on the East coast of Canada. The top 2 finalists would receive a spot in the main event of the PKRA world tour stop that was the following week also in Magdalen.

I spent my summer training at home in Sauble beach with some of the top riders in Ontario before heading out to the East coast for the first ever nationals. That training paid off and at 15 years old I won my first ever National title. I then received a wildcard to compete in the PKRA the following week. At 15 I was a couple years younger than most of the riders on the tour and didn’t have near the competition experience. I didn’t do as well as I hoped but I was so excited to have had the chance to compete with all the rider that I looked up to.

The following summer of 2006 the same two events were to happen in Magdalen Island. I was a year older and now had a drivers license so I was able to spend even more time at the beach. This year I went to the event with my father, Peter Stewart and his son and my good friend/riding partner Hayden Stewart. We had a spent the months before the event riding together nearly every windy day at home in Sauble Beach.

Going to the event I was most scared and also excited to compete against my good friend Hayden. I new what he was capable of and he know what I was capable of. With the competition experience under my belt I managed to surpass Hayden and take home my second National title at 16 years old.

After the first two years of nationals there was a break for a couple years and nationals then shifted to the West coast to a spot called Squamish. A small town just off of the Sea to Sky Highway on your way from Vancouver to Whistler. Squamish with it’s outdoors enthusiast and strong wind sports community hosted the 2008 Canadian Nationals. This year the event wasn’t focused on the freestyle aspect of kiteboarding but the racing aspect.

I hadn’t had a ton of experience in racing because I was always so focused on the next new trick I was learning. I went to the event regardless with the support of Canadian board shaper Lee Britain (Rogue Wave) Lee had built me a board that was quick up wind and had similar lines to a windsurfing racing board. I flew out to the West Coast a few days before the event just so I could spend a few hours on my new board before the event started. With luck on my side, my new board and the support from my family and sponsors I claimed my third national title at the age of 18.

The spring of 2008 I graduated high school and it was my goal to take my riding to the next level. Without hesitation I booked a flight to Brazil with my good friend David Drinkwater. We spend over 4 month in Taiba Brazil that year and both of our riding improved a ton. Following this trip to Brazil I won a wildcard spot into the Real watersports Triple S invitational contest and left my sponsor Naish to move to my current sponsor Best kiteboarding. For several years there wasn’t a Canadian national for freestyle only in racing which I’d lost interest in.

I spend from the year 2008-2013 traveling competing internationally at events like the Redbull Ragnork, Redbull King of the Air and the Kite Tour Asia. While on the road I was more involved in the media side of the kiteboarding world producing movies of both action and travel. Along with working with Photographers for magazine content.

In 2013 I was happy to hear that someone had stepped up to the plate to run a freestyle Canadian nationals. “Kite Clash” the Canadian Nationals was to set sail the first week of August in Squamish, British Columbia. I knew I’d be competing and new that this wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. 3 weeks prior to the event I head to the UK the meet up with Aaron Hadlow and Lewis Crathern to spend some time on the water riding and road tripping to the PKRA Germany to get some practice in under my belt before the event. Unfortunately in the 3 week I was in Europe/UK there wasn’t a ton of wind so I didn’t get to spend much time on the water at all but it helped get my head in the right place.

I flew out to Squamish 4 days before the event to get some riding in on the water. Riders flew from around the country and even some riders joined from the States to participate in the 2013 Kite Clash Canadian Nationals. The event format was 4 man heats with 2 riders advancing from each heat. I managed to make it to the finals where I came up against some good friends and solid riders Brandon, Matt and Rich. My finals heat one of my personal worst of the event with little energy left and the cold waters of Squamish setting in. I did my best for what the conditions offered and managed to claim my fourth Canadian National title beating Brandon with a score of 7.87.